Most sports or games have their own unique terminology to describe various facets of the activity. The game of bingo is no exception and has its own lexicon that players use when enjoying a game of bingo.

Some of the bingo terms relate to the bingo machine. The ball gate refers to the part of the bingo machine where the bingo ball moves out to be played. The ball shooter is a rubber edged needle that pushes the ball out to be played. The path that the bingo ball travels down to be played is called the ball runway.

Other bingo terms are in reference to various forms of the game. One is bonanza bingo which is a bingo variation. The numbers for this game are selected prior to the bingo session. The winner of this game is the first player to cover all of the spaces on their bingo card. Texas Blackout is a term that refers to another bingo variation. With this game, the first bingo number drawn determines which numbers on the card should be covered. For example, if the initial ball is even then all of the even numbers on the card would be covered. Once all of the even numbers are covered, you would have what is known as a Texas Blackout and would win.

Early birds are the first game played at the bingo hall. These games are considered warm-ups as they precede the bingo session. On the other hand, the after game would be the game played following the bingo session. Moonlight bingo would be referring to a bingo session occurring very late at night. A quickie would be a fast paced bingo session where the numbers are called rather quickly.

Bingo card patterns have unique terminology that players should know. A coverall or a blackout is a bingo term for the bingo card pattern where all of the bingo spaces are covered. A hardway is a winning bingo pattern that does not rely in the usage of the free space. Inside squares are a special bingo pattern. It would include the squares around the centre space. An outside square would mean filling all of the outer spaces surrounding the bingo card. A postage stamp bingo patter requires players to fill four spaces that form a square that is two spaces by two spaces.

By Jason Grass
Despite the amount of information above there is to know, bingo games are very easy to play. The whole bingo vocabulary can be picked up very quickly in both bingo halls and online bingo sites.